Federal court hears challenge to North Carolina voting restrictions News
Federal court hears challenge to North Carolina voting restrictions

The US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina [official website] on Monday began hearing a challenge complaint, PDF; Advancement Project materials] to a North Carolina law [HB 589 materials] limiting early voting and same-day voter registration. The lawsuit was brought by the US Department of Justice and the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP [advocacy website], which argue it violates the Voting Rights Act [DOJ backgrounder] as well as the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments [texts] because it disproportionately disenfranchises minority voters. Proponents of the law say it cuts down [Reuters report] on voter fraud.

The US Supreme Court declined to hear the case [JURIST report] in April. In March, a North Carolina state judge allowed a separate lawsuit [JURIST report] regarding voter ID requirements of the same law to go forward. Voting rights [JURIST backgrounder] remain a controversial issue in much of the US.

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Egypt President Anwar Sadat visits Israel

On November 19, 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat visited Israel, becoming the first leader of an Arab nation to officially visit. Two years later, President Sadat became the first Arab leader to recognize Israel by signing the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. Read President Sadat's address to the Israeli Knesset.

Jay Treaty signed

On November 19, 1794, US Chief Justice John Jay and British foreign secretary Lord Grenville signed a treaty in Philadelphia under which British forces pulled out of the disputed Northwest Territory. Review the Jay Treaty.